title: Cigarette smoking is associated with abnormal histone-to-protamine transition in human sperm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between smoking, semen quality, and the histone-to-protamine transition ratio in mature sperm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biochemical and molecular analysis in human samples and a cell line.
  
  
  METHODS
  Andrology laboratory in a university-affiliated hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen samples from 147 heavy smokers and 175 nonsmokers receiving infertility treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basic semen parameters, histone-to-protamine ratios, and number of sperm cells with abnormal histone transition were calculated. The relative messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of protamine 1 and protamine 2 were assayed in human sperm and in TM3 cells exposed to cigarette smoke condensate. T tests, Spearman tests, and nonparametric Mann-Whitney U tests were used to detect significant differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Normozoospermic smokers had significantly higher abnormalities than their nonsmoking counterparts. Sperm histone replacement abnormalities were found to be closely correlated with sperm motility, viability, concentration, counts, and cotinine levels. The ratios of protamine 1 to protamine 2 mRNA expression significantly increased in heavy smokers and in TM3 cells treated with cigarette smoke condensate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking is strongly associated with abnormalities in histone-to-protamine transition and with alteration of protamine mRNA expression in human sperm.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou; Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bolan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou; Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou; Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou; Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou; Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xingcheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou; Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou; Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: hzhaof@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhaofeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011479:Protamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D011479:Protamines; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Smoking; defective spermatogenesis; histone replacement; protamine